Her stomach dropped to her knees the moment his thousand mile stare connected with hers. The world fuzzed over, all sound ceased to be, all that was in focus was his chocolate eyes. This time her sixth sense failed her, he had snuck up on her in the one place that she never expected to. The barely sun was in her eyes as she turned the corner leaving work.

Her stomach dropped to her knees the moment his thousand mile stare connected with hers. The world fuzzed over, all sound ceased to be, all that was in focus was his chocolate eyes. This time her sixth sense failed her, he had snuck up on her in the one place that she never expected to. The barely sun was in her eyes as she turned the corner leaving work. Faintly the ocean could be smelt lingering on the tips of the last of spring’s breezes blowing up from the boardwalk. She was paying attention to her surrounding all she wanted to do was whip off her white button up shirt, wash her make-up off, and lift the hair off of her neck. Just thinking about the relief that it would be her hands unknowingly lifted and twisted her blonde locks into a loose knot on the nape of her neck; the cool air on her newly bare skin sending chills through-out her body, raising the hairs on her arms in a moment of relief.

Her focus was on the sensation on the back of her neck not whom was standing in front of her in the court yard that separating her from her car. He was wearing a hat pulled down to his brow. His piercing dark eyes trained onto her. The rest out of focus.

“3 years has been a really long time” slipped through her lips before she knew she had spoken; it sounded as if it came out in some else’s voice. Her knees felt stiff, stomach stuck together not letting her take a in a deep enough breath to breathe, hands shaking as she gripped her purse.

He didn’t speak, just stood there, arms crossed, head slightly tilted to the left, looking down at her. His face was stone, no emotion hinting at what was happening under his calm exterior.

“How did you know I was here?” she asked regaining enough oxygen to form a clear thought.

“I asked around” he said looking away, taking out a pack of cigarettes from his dark gray suit jacket, light it it then taking a drag with a cupped hand and narrowed eyes.

She took a step towards him. “You were asking about me? To who?”

The corner of his mouth lifted into half a grin, he shook his head “Don’t worry. You’re still off radar. No one knows I’m here.”

A breath that she didn’t know she was holding came out full blast making her light headed and wishing she wasn’t wearing such high of heels. She wobbled slightly as the world came back into focus. “K…” she said in a low tone of relief find him through her lashes and finding herself being able to steady her legs within the look in his eye.

His smile grew catching her stare. “Looking good, duchess”

A tiny laugh crept out from the smile that was now sitting in on her blood red lips. “Why thank you” she said putting one hand her hip and dipping slightly into a mock curtsy. “Not so bad yourself…” Again, she found herself just looking in his eyes forgetting to speak and only able to smile. The electricity flowing from his stare waved through-out her entire body, overwhelming every sense, and any logical thought.

Shaking her head tearing her eyes from his “So really why are you here” She looked over her shoulders realizing for the first time the two of them were still standing in the middle of a pubic court yard in the middle of the city.

“I came to see you.”

It felt like the entire world shifted and locked into place as what he said registered. “Come” She looped her arm in his turning him around and dragging him with her in the other direction. He smelt freshly shaven and of dryer sheet. It mixed strangely well with the blowing sea breeze. She pulled him down the street the two blocks to the boardwalk. Once their feet hit the boards he pulled his hat to his brow and she dropped her chin avoiding anyone who they past.

“So, why are you really here?” she asked a few minute in their walk.

His arm was still looped into hers making it an easy feat to pull her closer to him so her could say close to her ear. “I told you.”

“For how long?” she slowed down turning to look at him. The summer evening’s sun was still hanging in the sky, painting it with layers of blue and gold behind his head.

He raised his eye brows, and chewed his lip slightly “Don’t know”

“Okay, at least we know that much then” she shrugged finding his hand and lacing her fingers his.

She turned back watching the people they passed as they walk along the boardwalk arm and arm. Music blended in the background as several were pumped out storefronts. Gaggle of girls walked by in spiked heels, overly-tan single dudes traveling packs to night clubs looking for date for the night, and lovers of all sorts passed them as they walked in silence arm and arm. The waves could just be heard every now and then balancing out the chaos casinos and venders that lined the boards of Atlantic City.

The air felt thick she had to say something before she burst. “Beach, food…?”

He stopped considering her question, his hand still squeezing hers. “Beach” he said with a smile. “I have seen the ocean since the last time I saw it you? It’s nice to be outside.”

They stopped at the railing removing their shoes before stepping on the cold sand. They followed the short twisting path over the dune onto the ivory beach. The tide was low, a veiled moon hanging over the ocean and the sun barely peaking over the dusty horizon. The water felt nippy as it waved over their toes. His hand still gripping hers tightly; together they walked on the water’s edge until the noise quieted down and it seemed as if they were the only two people left on the rolling beach.

They found a nook that dipped into the dunes and sat down in the sand.

“What was it like” she found herself asking. It was the one thing she didn’t want to ask and then turns out the first thing that she did.

Before, he answered she found herself already knowing what he was going to say in the pit of her gut.

“It was hell” he said looking away

Nodding her head “Yeah, I bet it was. Are you ok?”

“Fine” he answered drawing circles in the sands.

“You know what Fine means right?” she laughed uncomfortably

He nodded, but also shook his head knowing she was going to tell him anyway.

“Freaked out, insecure, neurotic, and emotional” she used the moment of him not looking at her to look him over. He still looked like she remembered broad back, long muscular arms, thick wrists, deep dark eyes. There was something about those almost black eyes that was like kryptonite; making time stop, feet turn into lead, head spin on contact. A few more lines sat around his eyes, but that was about the only new feature that she could make out.

The air grew thick as she thought what else to say. Every night for three years she fell asleep thinking about what she would say to him, and now that he was next to her all she could do was think about the waves that crashed from front of her; anything but what to say. How the waves broke in the middle then the next braking from the left. It was hypnotizing her, calming her.

“So, this is what breathing feels like” she said accidently

He pursed his bottom lip then smiled “I guess so”

“It’s been so long. I’ve forgotten how it felt not to have that weight on my chest”

Slowly, he pulled his fingers from hers. It was the first time she noticed that he hadn’t let go until now. “I’m sorry about all of that? I didn’t want to hurt you.”

She stopped him. “I know.” Taking his hand back and bring it to her mouth, kissing it softly, smelling the lingering trace of cigarette.

His shoulders soften, he turned to face her. “Can I ask you a question?”

“You can do whatever you like” she said suddenly in a cold tone feeling his energy shift as her stomach slashed. She turned her gaze down more interested in her black painted fingernails then his cool brown eyes.

“What if I asked you to leave with me? Leave life as you know it, and come with me? Tonight, now”

She felt as if she was choking, her chest heavy, neck and throat tight.

“What do you mean?”

Slowly he reached for her chin, afraid that she would finch from his touch. With his thumb and forefinger he lifted her head up, so she had no other choice, but to look up at him.

Instantly she fell into his eyes, suddenly falling sixty stories in half a look. Only sensation the warmth of his thumb on her chin and the world that his stare creates; chocolate rivers, diamond raindrops, lemon drops hang from green trees and them dancing in fields.

In a second of clarity the question formed and came out on its own accord “Where”

A small laugh came first then the shaking of his head. “That I can’t tell you”

“Wow, what a red-flag statement” it was like her thoughts were leaking out of her mouth without forming in her brain first, as if she was slipped some truth serum, and there was no other choice.

His smile grew “Definitely” he shrugged “But you trust me” he smirked

“That’s easy. I trusted you before I loved you” she said quickly back at him

“But, is it that easy to leave everything behind?” His posture changed, stiffened, voice deepened. “I mean everything. If you come with me there is no going back.”

The air turned serious, he stood up, standing at full height down her from his over six foot frame. “What I am asking you is. Can you choose between comfort and security, and a life of avarice and immortality?”

Still sitting in the sand, a puzzled look replacing her smile, her head tilted to the left slightly; her lips pursed into a pout. “What are you talking about?” she asked raising her eye brows up at him and looking him through her lashes.

“I told you. I’ve been to hell.” He whipped towards her, sharp canines glistening, eyes glazed over stopping only inches from her face.

Not wanting to flinch she still turned her head, feeling his hot breath caress her cheek “Dramatic much….”

“I want you to see the real me before you make and decision.”

I know the real you.” she said still looking away from him “I saw the real you when you didn’t know who the real you were. I already saw who you had to find with-in yourself.” She blinked hard not letting the wetness in her eyes escape her kohl lined eyes.

His face soften as he pulled it away from her seeing her looking like she was ready for an awaiting blow. “The thought of you got me through the past three years. It was you that kept me alive while in that dark place. That’s why I am here. I can’t think about eternity unless you’re a part of it.”

“Pick a normal life or an eternity of being a parasite with you. Ha! Wow, most girls get asked to be married, I get this.” She sighed running a hand through her long blonde hair “funny Universe”

The wind kicked up as she thought about it. His face still inches from hers, though softer and back to normal. His hand crept towards hers again, cupping it softly, pulling it toward him. The contact made her lift her eyes to his. And, again his deep brown gaze was all she could see. The same ones that she saw in her dream, the one part she remember when the other details started to faded, the only ones that felt like a warm blanket around her.

“Like, I could have any other answer” She smiled, biting her lip in the process, and presenting her wrist to him.

“You had me worry for second. I can’t feel what you are thinking” He kissed the back of it before turning her right hand palm up. He looked up at her, making sure her eyes said the same thing her mouth did, then on to chest where her heart to make sure it had the same answer. Its beat was memorizing as he watch the blood being pumped in and out the blue veins of her wrist. It lulled him, numbing his concerns, extracting his canines on instinct, not in desire.

A small popping sound filled her ears and then a burning coursed up her arm as a coldness washed down he back. Her fingers went numb first then her lips and finally her toes. But it wasn’t a weakness making her limbs feel heavy, it was an overcoming vibration that made her not able to move, only look into and be comforted by his chestnut gaze; all else a faded blur.

“It’s ok baby” he said kissing her forehead. “Let go, close your eyes.” He ran his hand through her hair running his nails ever so-slightly across her scalp, sending what felt like waves of sliver light down her body. “When you open… It will be to a new world”

Then there was another popping sound then feeling of the coldest, crispness water crossing her parched sun burned feeling lips. She was suddenly so thirsty. The world came into focus as she drank. Slowly the gray faded into cartoon colors. Everything seemed to be glowing, almost painted. Her head hurt as she sat up, throbbing with each of her movement as she was uncurling herself from his lap.

Her teeth felt bigger as she crossed her tongue against them, her bones ached like she had grown an inch, and her stomach felt like it had cement in it, but she was so thirsty. Her ears filled with echoes, and a wave of flashes in her mind’s eye like someone had the remote and was changing the channel in her head. She felt like she was going to throw up, but knew she was able to if she tried. The world was feeling heavy pressing down on the top of her head and shoulders making her knees buckle out from under her.

“What happened” she opened her eyes onto his. Her long dark lashes feeling like they weighed ten thousand pounds each time she blinked.

“Too much too soon” He brushed the hair that was sitting across her face, tucking it behind her ear. “In time, you’ll get used to it all, I promise.”

“What does this all mean?” she asked still in his arms, holding them a bit more tightly around her.

Shaking his head “Don’t know, but we have an eternity to find out”

“An eternity” she repeated as if it was another langue.

“Yes, an eternity” he said letting go and jumping to his feet then looking around him, he then gave her his hand to take. She looked at it for a second, taking a breath before grabbing it. He pulled her up to her unsteady feet. “You ready?”

A small laugh escaped “Guess so”

“Ok then” he smiled, he raised his eye brows and when she rolled her eyes at him like he knew she would, he blink hard causing them to vanish on the tail of the blowing breeze, leaving an empty sand dune, and spot messed up in the sand where they had been sitting.